Emerging Writers Festival

Maggie Millner

POETRY

Maggie Millner is the author of Couplets. Her poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, POETRY, Kenyon Review, BOMB, The Nation, and elsewhere. She is a Lecturer at Yale and a Senior Editor at The Yale Review.

Image Credit: Sarah Wagner Miller

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Maggie's Events

Sarah Perry

NONFICTION

Sarah Perry (she/they) is the author of the memoir After the Eclipse: A Mother’s Murder, a Daughter’s Search, which was named a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers pick. Her writing has also appeared in the Huffington Post, Off Assignment, Elle magazine, The Guardian, and other outlets. Perry is the recipient of a 2020-2022 Tulsa Artist Fellowship, the 2018 Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award, and fellowships from the Edward F. Albee Foundation, VCCA, PLAYA, and The Studios of Key West. She holds an M.F.A. in nonfiction from Columbia University, was the 2019 McGee Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Davidson College, and is now Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of North Texas. Her second book, Sweet Nothings, a collection of 100 flash essays, is forthcoming from Mariner/HarperCollins in Fall 2024.

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Sarah's Events

Michael Torres

POETRY

Michael Torres was born and raised in Pomona, California, where he spent his adolescence as a graffiti artist. His debut collection of poems, An Incomplete List of Names (Beacon Press, 2020) was selected by Raquel Salas Rivera for the National Poetry Series. His honors include awards and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the McKnight Foundation, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, CantoMundo, VONA Voices, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Jerome Foundation, the Camargo Foundation, and the Loft Literary Center. He is currently an assistant professor in the MFA program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and a teaching artist with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop. 

Image Credit: Henry Jimenez

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Michael's Events

Ada Zhang

FICTION

Ada Zhang is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her short stories have appeared in A Public Space, McSweeney’s, American Short Fiction, and elsewhere. She is currently the James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow at the University of Wisconsin. The Sorrows of Others is her first book.

Image Credit: Chloe Chang

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Ada's Events

Readings

Join our emerging writers as they give readings of their works. Audience members will have the opportunity to engage with the writers during a Q&A session.

Readings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Green Room Theatre. You may also join virtually via Zoom.

Craft Talks

Get a peek behind the curtain and discuss writing techniques, processes, and more with our emerging writers. You will have the opportunity to practice and get feedback on your own craft as you work side-by-side with our emerging writers through writing prompts and exercises. 

Craft talks will begin at the times listed and will be held in the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House. You may also join virtually via Zoom.

Closing Events

Celebrate another successful Emerging Writers Festival! Closing events will be held in the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House. You may also join virtually via Zoom.

Emma Campbell '24

Major: Biology
Minor: English 

“I am so grateful to be a part of this tradition.”

"To be on the committee for the EWF is to allow writers and readers to connect through the entirety of the writing process, rather than the final work alone. I am so grateful to be a part of this tradition—not only will it allow me to work alongside writers I look up to, but it also gives them a chance to share the more personal side of their work with an audience who is excited to listen. I absolutely cannot wait for the event and for all the things it will teach me!"

Grace Celi '24

Major: english, creative writing
Minor: dance 

“EWF is the ultimate culminating experience of my time at F&M and Writers House.”

"It is such an honor to be on the EWF planning committee! EWF is the ultimate culminating experience of my time at F&M and Writers House. I remember attending EWF events my sophomore year and hoping I could be part of the committee when I was a senior. I'm so excited it's finally happening!"

Louisa Esposito '24

Majors: english, creative writinG & film & media studies

“It has been a dream of mine to be on this committee.”

"I am so honored to have been selected for the 2024 EWF Committee. Ever since I first attended EWF during the spring of my sophomore year, it has been a dream of mine to be on this committee. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to not only become even more connected with the English department (both students and faculty) and with fellow writers at F&M, but to become connected with professional writers from all over. As someone who is graduating in May, I hope to feel inspired from the writers outside of F&M and have a better idea of my future by becoming close to other EWF members. Not only that, but I hope to inspire underclassmen who are considering majoring in English or help those find their passion in writing when they attend the festival in the spring. I am so excited to see what this wonderful team puts together."

Gyana Guity '24

Major: english, creative writinG

“EWF was one of the main reasons why I decided to attend F&M.”

"EWF was one of the main reasons why I decided to attend F&M back when I was just a high schooler trying to decide which college was a good fit for me. I loved the idea of EWF, an event to celebrate talented writers, and allowing F&M students and Lancaster locals to hear their stories and the reasons why they love to write. So when I was selected to join the 2024 EWF Committee, I felt so honored. This spring, I now have the opportunity to work alongside amazing students who share the same deep appreciation and love for storytelling, and I am so excited to bring this year's EWF festival to life with my peers and F&M faculty to give every attendee a rewarding and fun experience!"

Isabel Hoin '24

Major: english, creative writinG

“Learning advanced skills of planning, designing, collaborating, as well as shadowing prominent writers will allow me to personally grow as a student of fine arts.”

"Being selected to participate on the EWF planning committee is such an honor, as it allows me to further immerse myself into a new, though equally educational aspect, of the creative writing world. Learning advanced skills of planning, designing, collaborating, as well as shadowing prominent writers will allow me to personally grow as a student of fine arts."

Jayden LaCoe '24

Majors: english, creative writinG & American Studies

“I will not only be able to work with other English department students and staff but also gain one-on-one interactions with talented writers!”

"Being on the Emerging Writers Festival's planning committee means a lot to me as I will not only be able to work with other English department students and staff but also gain one-on-one interactions with talented writers!"

Sarah Nicell '24

Majors: english, creative writinG & government

“I’m excited to learn from incredible people...and grow one more time in a place of great comfort to me (and to many): the Writers House.”

"I joined the EWF committee to celebrate new and old writers in my final semester at F&M. I’m excited to learn from incredible people, to help drive the readings and craft talks I have enjoyed so much over the years, and grow one more time in a place of great comfort to me (and to many): the Writers House."

Olivia Schmid '24

Major: english, creative writinG

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help plan an event of this caliber that will bring together creatives, writers, students, faculty, and Lancasterians alike in such a special way.”

"By being a part of the EWF planning committee, I’m most excited to be in a community dedicated to all things writing and language. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help plan an event of this caliber that will bring together creatives, writers, students, faculty, and Lancasterians alike in such a special way. It’s a dream being able to learn from brilliant emerging writers, and to work alongside my peers in order to do so."

Rohail Spear '24

Major: english, creative writinG

“I am so excited to finally be a part of something I've looked forward to for a long time.”

"When Professor Anderson was trying to convince me to major in Creative Writing during my sophomore year, one of the things he mentioned was the EWF. He said that many seniors look back on the event and tell him it was the highlight of their college experience. I am so excited to finally be a part of something I've looked forward to for a long time, and I am certain this will be my four-year highlight."

Ryan Squires '24

Majors: english, creative writinG & theatre

“As an aspiring writer who has had his own work produced at F&M, he knows how important it is to nurture new voices.”

Ryan Squires is a English Creative Writing and Theatre double major with an interest in playwriting and he is extremely excited to be a part of the EWF planning committee this year. As an aspiring writer who has had his own work produced at F&M, he knows how important it is to nurture new voices and he cannot wait to shadow one of the emerging writers so he can learn from their example and probe them about their career thus far and their future aspirations.